Post-Game Talk: Blue Jackets at Rangers 12/12/2013

[Ail]

People need to stop feeling sorry for the Jackets.

The Rangers suck, and so do Columbus. They're not building towards anything, not more than any other team is.

I get that we have a soft spot for some of their players; that doesn't mean we need to bow head over heels for their **** franchise. I like the Jackets too, but that's the fact of the matter.

St Louis was a "**** franchise" as well. JD knows what he is doing.

I don't feel bad for them, and I have no soft spot for any former Rangers. My favorite Jacket is a Ranger now for better or worse.

I will bet you that JD turns that club in to a contender before the Rangers become one again.

 

[Infinitum Vitae*]

How have you guys been able to stay sane for all these years?
I've only been watching for like 4 years and it's already doing my head in.

LOTS AND LOTS of alcohol

 

[Ail]

My friend and his dad went to the game. Saw Gordie Clark at a bar across the street from MSG after. Clark was with Mike Barnett and other Rangers scouts. Clark said it was McIlrath's time. Throw him hi the deep end and see what he can do. Said he and management are just as confused as fans and thought the Rangers had turned a corner with win over Vancouver. When my friend's dad asked him why so much of front office was in attendance he said they are assessing things and "working on a few things".

Interesting and yet scary that the Rangers brass and scouts have as little, or less, foresight as the fans do regarding their team

 

[RangerBlues]

Nash deserves no letters on his jersey.

 

[LeetchisGod]

Nash deserves no letters on his jersey.

The sad part is that his cap hit makes it difficult to find a suitable trade destination for him.

 

[RangerBlues]

The sad part is that his cap hit makes it difficult to find a suitable trade destination for him.

Moving him would be silly. You need his production. Not his leadership. There is nothing inside that burns.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

St Louis was a "**** franchise" as well. JD knows what he is doing.

I don't feel bad for them, and I have no soft spot for any former Rangers. My favorite Jacket is a Ranger now for better or worse.

I will bet you that JD turns that club in to a contender before the Rangers become one again.

It depends what you consider a contender.

The Rangers were absolutely capable of making it to the conference finals last season if Richards doesn't have a historically awful season (Rangers luck).

This year they are playing well below what they are capable of. They're not a contender, but a solid team if every single player doesn't **** the bed, which they are.

Now I think Columbus is playing right where they are capable at (like most teams in the NHL do). I like Dubi and Arty, but a core comprised of them, Nick Foligno and Mark Letestu gets you nowhere. Horton is signed to an albatross of a contract, and Gaborik is a glorified rental.

Ryan Murray's style of play will also finally break a trend of disastrous drafting by Columbus. I'm not ready to proclaim them a solid drafting team yet though, a dog could have picked Ryan Murray 2nd overall.

 

[LeetchisGod]

Moving him would be silly. You need his production. Not his leadership. There is nothing inside that burns.

Nash is not the straw that stirs the drink. He doesn't make other players better. He's not a leader. He's not good defensively. He's not physical. His cap hit is too big for what brings to the table. Terrible guy to build your team around.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Moving him would be silly. You need his production. Not his leadership. There is nothing inside that burns.

He may not have found too much NHL success, but I don't think that's fair. He didn't just fade in Columbus, and made himself expendable. He asked for a trade from the only franchise he ever knew to come here for a chance to win. Imo, Nash is far from the problem and from what I've seen of him, there shouldn't be any reason to question his character. Just one guy's perception, but I don't at all agree with the idea that Nash is some apathetic floater. Nobody does as much damage at this level if talent and size were all that's needed. There's a word for that player: Pouliot.

 

[mike14]

Nash is not the straw that stirs the drink. He doesn't make other players better. He's not a leader. He's not good defensively. He's not physical. His cap hit is too big for what brings to the table. Terrible guy to build your team around.

and here's the problem IMO, Nash should have been the complementary piece to Gabby not the foundation stone.

We gave it what, 20 games into a shortened season before Slats panicked? It should have been keep Gabby and Nash, accept the step back due to loss of depth and then re-stock that depth. Everyone knew the cap was going back up and that the pain would be temporary. You could have got games into Miller and Kreider (more than did), evaluated a few more kids and then gone into 2014-15 with cup as your goal

 

[trilobyte]

The Rangers need better strength down the middle, but they never seem to fix it.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

The Rangers need better strength down the middle, but they never seem to fix it.

I have a great idea: let's sign the best available UFA center.

 

[OverTheCap]

The Rangers are an uninspired hockey club. They got outplayed, outhustled, pretty much out-everythinged for about 80% of tonight's game.

They look like a team trying to get their coach fired, which is pretty concerning since they got the last coach canned only a few months ago. After focusing on tightening up the defense in practice, to come out so flat and play so poor defensively is unacceptable. I feel bad for the season ticketholders who are paying to see this trainwreck of a team float around on the Garden ice.

 

[mike14]

I have a great idea: let's sign the best available UFA center.

Steen 8 years at $7.3?

 

[trilobyte]

I have a great idea: let's sign the best available UFA center.

I have a better idea. Let's get Crosby. Sather the wiley trader can trade Pyatt, Pouliot, and possibly add another if pressured.

 

[ca5150]

It's not so much about giving up Dubie and Anisimov in particular. It's about trading away 2 guys who loved being Rangers, a big part of the identity and culture, came up through the system....for a guy, yes way more skilled than either of them, who does not represent that identity. And when one of your highest paid skaters doesn't show the drive or passion that made the Rangers teams the years before (relatively) successful, it has an impact on the team. Nash does not have leadership ability, nor does he make his teammates better like the other elite talent of the league. He is an island, incredible ability which should put him in MVP discussions but year after year it never does. All of his teams have been mediocre.

I understand the arguments that he lead the team in goals last year, and he's the only reason they made the playoffs in 2013. But they had no problem making the playoffs in 2012 without him. And we can't forget that he was an absolute no show in the playoffs.

Losing heart and soul guys for a guy who plays like he doesn't give a ****, despite being able to score at will at times, has really hurt the NYR culture they had going. When its one of your big name players who makes a ton of money with this style, it really has got to have a negative influence on the locker room. Just my $0.02.

This team was tough to watch at times last year. This year way worse. I think Nash has helped the team become a bit complacent. AV hasn't helped.

You're right on about Nash, I saw every game he played for the Jackets and he just doesn't have that fire to lead a team, he needs to be the 3-4th player counted on for a team and then he can be solid. when he's THE guy, he folds under pressure. He scores highlight real goals in games that don't matter and floats when it gets rough out there. No expression, no fire, no passion. He is good when he plays alongside Crosby in the Olympics, otherwise, he's not going to lead you anywhere and I wasn't sad to see him go at all.

Brassard's nickname here was "Country Club", he had a nice playoff for you guys last year, but you won't get much out of him either.

Dorsett was the heart and soul of the Jackets, I was so upset he was traded for Gaborik. He brings it every single night, yes he takes penalties. But he will fight anyone in the league, he fought John Scott once and had to jump to punch him! He hits everything in site, kills penalties and has an offensive touch, he had 12 goals for us and lead the league in PIM's at the same time. He's solid, you have a gem in him.

Johnny Moore is a decent 3-4 guy, he never got much of a chance here to blossom.

Good game, best of luck the rest of the way! If you want to take something away from this, your gameday thread is WAY more entertaining than ours! haha

 

[Fitzy]

Good luck to the Blue Jackets. We as the NYR fanbase are obviously going to be more ornery than usual what with the current state of affairs.

 

[db2011]

Now I think Columbus is playing right where they are capable at (like most teams in the NHL do). I like Dubi and Arty, but a core comprised of them, Nick Foligno and Mark Letestu gets you nowhere. Horton is signed to an albatross of a contract, and Gaborik is a glorified rental.

Ryan Murray's style of play will also finally break a trend of disastrous drafting by Columbus. I'm not ready to proclaim them a solid drafting team yet though, a dog could have picked Ryan Murray 2nd overall.

Jackets fan. Your idea of our core is incomplete- Letestu, though a pleasant surprise last season, isn't a part of the core any more than Umberger, Atkinson, and Calvert are. Probably the biggest oversight in your rendition is another player that reflects well on the Jackets' drafting, Johansen.

He may not have found too much NHL success, but I don't think that's fair. He didn't just fade in Columbus, and made himself expendable. He asked for a trade from the only franchise he ever knew to come here for a chance to win. Imo, Nash is far from the problem and from what I've seen of him, there shouldn't be any reason to question his character. Just one guy's perception, but I don't at all agree with the idea that Nash is some apathetic floater. Nobody does as much damage at this level if talent and size were all that's needed. There's a word for that player: Pouliot.

I'll continue to wear this line out: if your team is playing poorly for hard to figure reasons, has canned the coach, and has a fanbase clamoring for another coaching change, you probably have Rick Nash on your roster.

 

[I Eat Crow]

This team lacks hungry players.

At this point I'd waive Pyatt, Pouliot, and Asham. Bring up Miller, Hrivik, Fast, and Yogan.

I'm normally very patient, but I've had enough. Young, hungry players need to replace the dead weight. Live with the growing pains.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

This team lacks hungry players.

At this point I'd waive Pyatt, Pouliot, and Asham. Bring up Miller, Hrivik, Fast, and Yogan.

I'm normally very patient, but I've had enough. Young, hungry players need to replace the dead weight. Live with the growing pains.

That would destroy our young guys who still need to develop.

 

[TheDirtyH]

I'll continue to wear this line out: if your team is playing poorly for hard to figure reasons, has canned the coach, and has a fanbase clamoring for another coaching change, you probably have Rick Nash on your roster.

That or you're the New York Rangers. Especially when you aren't on top of the Conference (as in almost always). In this case we're all three.

 

[Thirty One]

Steen 8 years at $7.3?

Can only sign him for 7 seasons, so will have to up the AAV.

 

[mike14]

Can only sign him for 7 seasons, so will have to up the AAV.

oh yeah....

better bump it up to 7 years at $9m. Go Slats go!

 

[I Eat Crow]

That would destroy our young guys who still need to develop.

I'll back pedal a bit on Miller, he should spend a full year in the AHL. To be fair, the other three guys I see topping out as bottom 6 NHL forwards at best. However, my point still stands. This team needs a breath of fresh air. Yogan, Fast, and Hrivik would bring hustle and a little skill to the bottom 6.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

I'll back pedal a bit on Miller, he should spend a full year in the AHL. To be fair, the other three guys I see topping out as bottom 6 NHL forwards at best. However, my point still stands. This team needs a breath of fresh air. Yogan, Fast, and Hrivik would bring hustle and a little skill to the bottom 6.

Couldn't agree more. I just think/hope it will be done with a trade or five instead of calling up kids who will most likely not help us. Except Kristo, but they need to keep him in CT until next year.